LIFE IS FULL of oxymorons - the latest being 'credible showbiz news'. And Hong Kong now has a whole television channel devoted to it.
Cable Entertainment News Channel has been feeding subscribers round-the-clock showbiz coverage since July 28, but many are now wondering how it will differ from what is already available on the market: sensational, exaggerated, and in some cases, fabricated news.
But this is where Sandra Ng Kwan-yu comes in. The award-winning actress is 'star anchor' of Cable TV's entertainment news channel. An odd choice, perhaps, given she is constantly dogged by paparazzi and the subject of sensational stories herself.
With help from Ho Kwok-leung, a Hong Kong Polytechnic University professor, Ng's mission is to uncover exposes that are untrue.
'I used to despise Hong Kong entertainment news. There are a lot more meaningful things to do than gossip about people in showbiz. I am [still] fed-up with how some media twist facts [to suit their stories],' said Ng. Now that she has jumped the fence, Ng is convinced that presenting entertainment news can be done in a professional manner.
Head of the new channel, Sandy Yu, said she thought this new and proper approach to handling and presenting entertainment news would give audiences a choice.
'The quality of entertainment news in Hong Kong is very low. Whether you are an anchor or a reporter, you should have your own independent thinking, ' she explained.